Peeler

"I heard your song Half Past High... it is just great, one of my favorite
indie songs of the year." - Scott Stambaugh, Head of Programming, KIAC Radio, Kansas City

The vocals made the biggest impression on me - very professional and engaging. I could listen to a whole album of this voice. The song has very good production value.

I like the atmospheric mood of the verse (nice bass and slide) and then the contrast of the chorus.

I like this song better than most of the modern rock I hear on the radio!!! - C Nord - Saint Paul, Minnesota

Review of Half Past High by Peeler

First, excellent intro! The vocals are superb! I love the way the soft beginning blends perfectly into the tight chorus.

Guitar is awesome and drumming is tight and supportive.
Excellent transitions.

Mood is set effectively.

Lead singer has great voice!!! - Zoink Records, Seaforth, NY

Gian Fiero, “The Muse’s Muse” APRIL 2009


Music supervisors listen up: Peeler’s got a new track that is PERFECT for the big budget movie that you are working on. With razor sharp guitars and vocals, this track adds instant drama to any scene. And what does Woo Hoo mean? It doesn’t matter. What matters is that this song can boost the intensity level of a fight scene, a car chase, or that lustful moment when the leading guy sets his sights on the leading girl. Woo Hoo is the track you are looking for to bring it all together.


Gian Fiero, “The Muse’s Muse” July 2006
From Canada comes Craig Peeling (a.k.a. singer/songwriter/musician/
Producer) whose pure and agile voice is one of the most distinctive –
in any genre – that I’ve heard. His radio friendly single, “Pretty Little Things”
has the potential to garner him the attention and acclaim that he deserves
and place him in the ranks of Rock’s greatest vocalists where he belongs.
An auspicious debut.
- www.musesmuse.com

Black Angel, President “Black Angel Productions” September 2006
Peeler is an eclectic, multi-instrumentalist hailing from Canada who is hell-bent on writing
and producing some of the greatest modern rock tunes since U2, Big Wreck or perhaps
even Paul McCartney. I'm not the only one to feel this way, the International Association
of Independent Artists are also feeling his music as he was nominated for ‘Best Male
Vocalist’ in '05. He also had the honor of "Rock Song Of The Year in '05 for the track
"Half Past High".
- Black Angel Productions

Elizabeth Yates, The Brantford Expositor, June 2006
The International Academy of Independent Artists, which has thousands of members around
the world, including Sheryl Crow, Pete Townsend and Ani DiFranco, voted Peeler’s debut
single, Half Past High, its rock song of the year. And he was nominated for male artist of the
year. The honours, announced in May, reflect Peeler’s status as a major talent, says Scott
Stambaugh, of the Independent Artists’ Company, an Internet community including a radio
Station and music distribution service based in Kansas City. “Half Past High is one of the best
Rock songs anywhere in many years,” says Stambaugh, whose www.iacmusic.com logs more than 10 million hits a month.
- Brantford Expositor

*The following reviews are from people that were handed a 2 Song Demo CD featuring the songs "That's All" and Dirty Maggie (the very first Peeler demos ever). The people were approached randomly (OK - I picked mostly on attractive women!), given a free CD and asked to email their thoughts...
_____________________________

We listened to the Peeler CD on our travels this weekend... it is great... you will be a star!!!

It is now with our favorite CD's....
_____________________________

Thanks for the CD... One word: WHOA.
I'll just say that the voice is ...uh... what's a good word to describe it??? AMAZING! Mmm... amazing doesn't even BEGIN to describe it... geesh...

That CD will NEVER see the bottom of a coffee cup!
_____________________________

Peeler is amazing… the voice is unbelievable.

This song (Dirty Maggie) is the type that if I heard it on the radio, I would buy a copy of the CD for myself and all of my friends... and then when I saw a picture of the band, I would go out and buy more copies so that I could use the CD cover to wallpaper a room in my house... __________________

- Unknown People on the Street via email

When I first heard Peeler's music, he had only one song under his name on another music site. I listened and it was one of those intangible things, I bookmarked it as 'somewhat interesting' at first, but in subsequent listens it grew and grew on me. I started a station at that site and put his song last, I liked to end the night listening to it. I've probably heard it 1000 times by now and love it just as much, never got tired of it, still listen to it all the time.

Craig Peeling, known as Peeler, has something very unique and mystifying about all his songs (that I've heard thus far), they sort of make you go inside yourself and contemplate your own world; where you are, and how you're feeling about it. The song Half Past High quickly reached #1 on the KIAC Big 50 and is on probably more artist-created stations than any other song on the site. Recently I had a chance to ask Peeler a few questions and get to know the guy behind those superb songs a bit.

IAC: Can you describe either the moment or the era in your life when you realized you could express yourself thru rock music ?
Peeler: I was in a band called 'phineas gage' with three of my very close friends - we grew up together in music, learned our instruments together (my primary function in that band was guitarist), and wrote songs before we knew what we were doing.

The first song we wrote as a collective, "One in the Chamber" (born from one of my guitar riffs), was made whole by everyone adding their colours. The song gained some local/regional notoriety – people loved the song.

That gave me my first 'buzz' - that's when I knew that not only could I express myself through rock music - but also that people were going to sit up and take notice – that’s when the roots of my addiction started to form.

IAC: In your song the Evils of the Modern Pleasure Dance, you lament about the temporary nature of such, can you talk about some of the things for you that are lasting?

Peeler: For me love is lasting – the love I have for the things that are important to me – the people in my life, a strong sense of self and the music that has changed my life… thus far – those are the only things I care to make a lasting commitment to, and in turn – the only things that are truly lasting.

I look back over my life and then think about the future… these are the things I can’t see myself living without… everything else is temporary... stops along the way that make the journey more dynamic.

Of course you don’t walk away feeling ‘dirty’ from everything… the song speaks about indiscretions – moments of weakness during which people turn a blind eye or a deaf ear to their sense of ‘self’, a detour on their journey, a short term jag to satisfy their basic needs or desires… ‘but its oh so temporary – you walk away feeling dirty.’

IAC: I relate to the song Half Past High sooo much, it's like a theme song for this time in my life. But if you don't know how you got here and you don't know where you've been, the question is, do you know where you're headed ? :)

Peeler: “Everything will be as it should in the fullness of time...” something my father says all the time – it’s speaks to the fact that people lack patience and need to relax – let it be so to speak. I believe in that – to a degree – but if you live your life by that creed – a lot will pass you by.

Conversely – some people are so focused and driven toward a goal – they miss the ‘stops along the way’ – the diversions, the highs and the lows… its like they are numb or moving toward an end goal with blinders on.

This song is about taking the blinders off and enjoying the highs – don’t let the fleeting moments of total joy in life pass you by – grab on to them and let go of everything else – soak it in – don’t worry about how you got there – don’t even think about where you’ve been – enjoy the ‘high’ of the experience…

When you feel good… forget everything else - take time to really feel it.

For me that high comes when I’m on stage… I totally give myself to the experience – “I can’t tell what speed time’s going at… and emotion is controlled by the high.” It will mean different things to different people but for me it’s a tale of my addiction. I’m addicted to the acceptance and adoration of others when it comes to my music… in order to feel validated I need to play music in front of others – then hear and feel their response… I’m not satisfied unless I am getting some kind of energy from the crowd – some kind of emotional response. If I don’t perform for a period of time... I get edgy – I need a fix.

So where am I headed??? …to the stage entrance

IAC: Any interesting anecdotes regarding your artistic self ? Any turning points in your life you can think of ?

Peeler: I think ‘becoming’ Peeler has been a huge turning point in my life. Starting out I defined myself musically as a guitar player – I started teaching guitar in a music shop when I was 15, played guitar in ‘phineas gage’- the guitar is where I lived – but I always thought I could sing – or at least had the potential - most people disagreed.

The real turning point was inspired by the noble pursuit of women… I learned to play and sing “One” by U2 to impress a girl – and it worked… That led to a solo acoustic gig in a local Irish Pub where I had to learn to play and sing 40 songs over the course of a night… then I fronted a cover band…

The most important development in all of that was finding my voice – and building it into a force as strong as my guitar playing… and I started to look at the art of the ‘song’ differently… I was less concerned with coming up with a guitar line and more concerned with how that great guitar line would work within the context of the song – my voice became my best musical weapon, then working on what I wanted to say and how I wanted to say it…

All of these things factor into the birth of ‘Peeler’ and the forthcoming album “The Evils of the Modern Pleasure Dance”.

IAC: Anything particular about your background that you think contributes a lot to the music you make?

Peeler: My parents and grandparents… they love music. I was brought up around that. With the exception of my grandma, none are musicians but they both love it. My Grandma can’t read a note of music, doesn’t own a piano but can sit down and play songs she picked out by ear as a child… I thank her for my ear for music.

I need music like I need air and water… for me its part of a life force – it has literally formed who I am – changed my life from what it might have been to what it is.

These things have everything to do with the music I make – my goal is to be part of that change in other people’s lives… ‘music that will change your life’.

I think of the music that I care deeply about – artists and albums and songs that I can’t live without – they’re all responsible in part for making me who I am… they’ve made a significant difference in my life.

I want to have that impact on the lives of others… give back the joy I’ve been afforded… if music is worth anything - it makes people better than they could have been on their own – that belief forms my approach to the music I make.

IAC: Do you believe in UFOs, had any strange experiences in that realm?

Peeler: When I was a kid I had insomnia – for what seems like years. My bedroom was on the second floor of my parents’ house and I used to poke my head under the curtains as I sat on my bed so I could look out at the night sky… I swear to you I saw a UFO one night – the memory is vivid – the colours were vibrant and the movement of the ship was unlike anything I’ve seen in the sky since.

One of my best friends, Gord Jakovljevic, who plays drums on this album is a pilot and an aircraft junkie. He’s told many stories about famed sightings of crafts in the sky that can’t be categorized as anything other than ‘unidentifiable’.

So… how could I not believe in UFO’s?

Besides… our world would be pretty boring if everything could be neatly categorized and ultimately explained… We need fantasy; we need things to be in search of. We need things to excite, astound and shock our senses… the truth is out there – but I’d rather be suspended in disbelief – at least for now….

I don’t know how I got here… I don’t know where I’ve been

…and I’m soaking in every moment of it.

Peeler - IACMusic.com

“Rock Somg of the Year – 2005” (Half Past High), “Male Artist of the Year – 2005 (Nominee)”
– International Association of Independent Artists

‘Perfect’ #1 on the ‘Big 50’ (all genres) chart (May 2006)
– iacmusic.com

“Craig Peeling, known as Peeler, has something very unique and mystifying about all his songs (that I've heard thus far), they sort of make you go inside yourself and contemplate your own world; where you are, and how you're feeling about it. The song Half Past High quickly reached #1 on the KIAC Big 50 and is on probably more artist-created stations than any other song on the site.”

“…a force of nature, Half Past High is one of the best rock songs anywhere in many years. Rock on Craig, you talented SOB.”
– Scott Stambaugh, Independent Artists’ Company, Kansas City, MO


“This screams U2 if they could still write with passion....”
– Scott Stambaugh, Independent Artists’ Company, Kansas City, MO

“The vocals just melt me. It rocks hard in places, overall a very addictive tune. And yes, there is some butt-kickin' guitar in this song. You'll be a mellow puddle of satisfied bliss by the end.”
- Indiecent Exposure

“Can you ever hear enough of this kind of talent?”
- Hollywoord Ending

“Craig has a talent that is ever developing at a rate that makes it very hard for the rest to keep up! Do the world a favour and get this man a contract and showcase him to the world!!!”
- PoPRoX

If I listen to any MORE Peeler...I WILL be Peeler! Kidding of course. One can NEVER have too much Peeler. Tell me...is there hope for my addiction to you? Not that I'd want to give it up anyway... :)
- Kristin – a fan from Colorado, USA
- Peeler FANS!

Buoyed by a buzz from Internet fans, rocker Craig Peeling is dreaming of big-time success with the launch of his first CD this weekend.
Getting 15 original songs into a polished package, called Evils of the Modern Pleasure Dance, has been a two-year project for Peeler — a nickname since childhood. But he’s thrilled with the final result. And it’s already winning raves in some pretty impressive realms of cyberspace.
The International Academy of Independent Artists, which has thousands of members around the world, including Sheryl Crow, Pete Townsend and Ani DiFranco, voted Peeler’s debut single, Half Past High, its Rock Song of the Year. And he was nominated for Male Artist of the Year.
The honours, announced in May, reflect Peeler’s status as a major talent, says Scott Stambaugh of the Independent Artists’ Company, an Internet community including a radio station and music distribution service based in Kansas City. “Half Past High is one of the best rock songs anywhere in many years,� says Stambaugh, whose site — www.iacmusic.com — logs more than 10 million hits a month.
Never mind Half-Past — the response is a total High, says Peeling, whose latest Internet single, Perfect, is now at No. 1 on IAC.
“It’s an incredible feeling,� he says of the awards. “It’s very, very gratifying to know that not only is my music appreciated by fans, which is very, very special, but that it’s respected by these amazing peers.�
Peeler was picked for IAC after posting a single on GarageBand.com; he’s got another song — Dirty Maggie — on that site and has material on rotation at 5150fm.com
Still, some mainstream recognition would be nice, says the 33-year-old, who is seeking find investors for a major media campaign needed to snag radio airplay.
In the meantime, there will be more live shows, kicking off with Saturday’s high-energy CD release bash at Alexanders. There’s talk of a tour — maybe to eastern Canada — and even a music video.
Whatever happens, the fledgling solo artist has already charted the biggest possible hit on his personal success chart: inspiring others.
Fans have told them they’ve been moved to tears — by the hook-laden ballad, Lonely Days — and fully identified with Half-Past High, a melodic rocker reminding listeners to appreciate fleeting moments of happiness.
“That feedback is more valuable to me than any kind of monetary reward,� he says. “My goal — I know it’s lofty — is making music that will change your life. When music resonates with people on that level, I think I’ve done what I set out to do.�
It seems this 33-year-old is used to accomplishing his goals. He has already sped up the corporate ladder at TD bank, where he works as manager of human resources for Ontario’s southwest region. Not bad for someone who started off as a part-time teller in high school and worked his way up to managing the Fairview Drive branch by age 26.
“(TD) has been good to me. They’ve given me a lot of opportunities as a young man.�
Though based in London during the workweek, Peeling still considers Brantford home. Son of former police chief Bob Peeling and wife Dianne, the singer-songwriter also has three siblings: Lori, 35, a hairstylist; 30-year-old Mike, a journalist; and Suzie, 29, a full-time mom.
Family has been a huge inspiration for Peeling, as have friends — many of whom play alongside him on stage.
A live show generally includes longtime collaborators Gogi Jakovljevic on drums and Wes Nykolyn on bass; Jakovljevic also played with Peeling in the rock band Phineas Gage, along with bassist Warren Szyiko and vocalist Kevin Bibby.
Disbanded for the past 10 years, the Gage guys will reunite on Saturday to open for Peeler. “It’s cool to have a group of really close friends who are all so talented.
“It’s great to have their support. I couldn’t have done this without them.�
The North Park Collegiate athlete couldn’t have done it, either, without an injury that forced him off the basketball court and left him with time to pick up a guitar. After taking lessons at LA Music, he eventually began teaching at the Charing Cross shop; it turned out that instructing others motivated the teen to keep developing his own skills.
Soon, Peeling was playing guitar in the popular cover band, After Hours, and then in Phineas Gage. After that folded, “I played in my basement a lot,� before happening upon an open mike at the former Purdy’s Pub.
At the urging of friends, he did a solo song— and was offered a recurring gig.
“That’s really where my voice developed,� says Peeling, whose vocal range and emotional delivery prompt comparisons to Bono.
While the U2 frontman is one of his musical inspirations, the similarity is coincidental, not deliberate. “I’m fine with that. I’d rather be compared to a world class vocalist than have people say, ‘He sounds like crap.’
“I’m looking forward to the time that people compare new bands to Peeler.�
After a great response from crowds at Purdy’s, and a stint with the Top 40/rock cover band Harp, Peeling began to get serious about his own songs.
Work began on Evils of the Modern Pleasure Dance in 2004 and the disc was finally done in February. With recording time squeezed in after day-job hours, and a passion for perfection, it was a long project, Peeling admits.
“It has been a lot of work and a lot of time, but I can definitely stand behind it. I’m very, very proud of the finished product.�
- Brantford Expositor